From refugee camp to aerospace engineer, military officer, and soon-to-be two-time master’s graduate, Vasker Neupane never gave up on his dreams and goals. His resilience and courage help inspire us to keep fighting for refugee resettlement and the well-being of all those seeking safety Earlier this week at the MA State House, Ascentria joined partners from International Institute of New England, Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, and Hebrew SeniorLife to advocate for restoring state funding to support refugee resettlement in Massachusetts. But the most powerful moment of the day came from Vasker Neupane, who closed our event by sharing his journey. Born in a refugee camp in Nepal, Vasker was resettled in Worcester by Ascentria with his parents, Pabitra and Purna. Since then, he has: > Earned a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering from WPI > Served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force > Joined the Air National Guard > And this week, is graduating from Boston University with a second Master’s in Business Management. Vasker is living proof of what’s possible when we invest and believe in refugees. His story is not just one of resilience, it’s one of opportunity, service, and the deep contributions new neighbors make to our communities. With federal funding uncertain and programs strained, we're urging the MA Legislature to approve state funding through the Massachusetts Resettlement Support Program, championed by Senator Robyn Kennedy and Representative Jim O’Day. All people, including refugees, deserve to live with dignity, in safe conditions, and free to pursue their dreams. #RefugeesWelcome #InvestInPeople (fb)

Ascentria’s Unaccompanied Refugee Minors and Unaccompanied Children programs were able to gather foster parent appreciation care packages for all 35 of our foster families in honor of National Foster Care Month! This would not have been possible without the generous contributions of local community members. Thank you to the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts (GSCWM), for donating 48 boxes of cookies for foster parents. Thank you to Springfield Girl Scout Troop #65389 for creating 5 beautiful foster parent care packages with tons of goodies for our families including books, games, handmade notes, and gift cards. Thank you to Crose Nest in Hudson for donating 35 specialty teas for the care packages. Your generosity means the world to us and allows us to practice gratitude with our deserving families! #AscentriaFosterCare #FosterCareMonth (fb)